Egyptian table tennis champion and 2024 Olympics quarter-finalist. Omar Assar, publicly exposed how the national table tennis federation hindered his and his teammates’ medal prospects. In an interview with talk show host Amr Adib on 12 August, Assar highlighted how Egypt’s Table Tennis Federation (ETTF) derailed the national team’s preparations for the 2024 Paris Olympics through a series of questionable actions. Assar, 33, revealed that ETTF failed to “invest a single pound” in player preparation for the Olympic Games from January 2024 onward — a period the athlete considers crucial to condition players for the tournament. The three-time African table tennis champion went on to explain that the federation canceled the essential preparatory camp in Germany just three days before its scheduled start. The federation also failed to replace the camp with any training program held in Egypt, Assar added. The athlete also mentioned that a Minister of Youth and Sports sent an auditor to ETTF’s headquarters after complaints, with the person being given a record of expenses for accommodation, travel, and food for athletes in Germany, despite the camp’s prior cancellation. Assar identified the lack of training and preparation…
Egypt’s Ping Pong Scandal: Olympic Athlete Reveals Wrongdoings by National Association
August 13, 2024
